Acadiana girls basketball’s Friday night matchup against Southside was not just its run-of-the-mill district matchup. It was a night to remember two players who represent the legacy of greats who have come through the Wreckin’ Rams girls basketball program.
Their 2024 Legacy Night was capped off with the retiring of two of their alumni’s jerseys, DeTrina White and Sheri Sam. No player will ever don the number 55 again after those two Acadiana legends.
“There’s no, there’s no type of recognition around the campus or even just in the basketball community for these two players,” Acadiana girls basketball coach Jeremy Richardson said. “I mean, everybody knows Kim Perrot’s legacy, she’s like the gold standard for basketball in Lafayette. But the more I looked into the history there were two more players with no public recognition.”
Richardson, who spearheaded the Legacy Night event, initially planned on retiring the late Kim Perrot’s jersey as well — but her family wasn’t able to make it. Sam was able to make it back to her old stomping grounds, where they she was once the queen of the court.
More than a football school
Throughout their time playing for Acadiana, both guards were lethal rebounders and even more dangerous defenders. Sam, who graduated in 1992, was the Wreckin’ Rams leading rebounder and blocker before her decorated career at Vanderbilt. She was the third player in Commodore history to be named a Kodak All-American after averaging 20.4 points per game as a senior.
In the WNBA, Sam was just as successful, winning the WNBA Championship in 2004 with the Seattle Storm. She is also the All-time leading scorer for the now-defunct Miami Sol of the WNBA.
Once Sam left Acadiana, White picked up where she left off. She would go on to be the new leader in rebounds and blocks during her time as a Ram before playing for LSU. White was a walking bucket, averaging a double-double in high school and almost the same for the Tigers. The 1998 Acadiana alum also played in the WNBA getting drafted by the Indiana Fever in 2002.
Honoring the two greats from the past not only adds to Sam and White’s résumés, but can help spark a new generation of stars to come from Acadiana.
“It shows that we’re more than just a football school,” Richardson said. “Don’t let anybody tell you ‘Oh, you just play for Acadiana girls basketball that is not known for anything and not special.’ These women have shown that playing here has allowed them to succeed on the highest level across the world.”
Sam, White and soon Perrot will forever hang in the rafters of Acadiana Gym proving its rich legacy of girls basketball.
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Shannon Belt covers high school sports and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at sbelt@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Acadiana girls basketball retires two alums jerseys on Legacy Night
